Hotel Survival Guide

On a recent trip to California, I was in the motel bathroom in my underwear, putting on my makeup while my husband was in the shower. Our almost two-year-old son was supposed to be watching Sesame Street.

I popped my head into the bedroom to check on him and got a nasty surprise - he was gone. A quick glance around the room verified it - he had gotten up, opened the door, and took off down the hall. I stuck my head out the door, hoping he was lurking on the other side. No such luck. Instead I saw our proximity to the parking lot, the swimming pool and a host of potential child abductors.

I threw a shirt on over my underwear and ran out the door, into the hallway that led toward the pool an d parking lot. Benjamin wasn't anywhere. "Is there a baby down there?" I screamed to a man 50 yards down the hallway. "Yes," he called back, baffled (I'm sure) by my attire.

I tore down the hall and found my son, laughing, hanging on the gate leading to the swimming pool. Thank heaven it was locked. I marched him back to the room, truly understanding for the first time how you could kill someone and cover them with kisses at the same time.

I tell you my story here not to demonstrate how I showed my bikini briefs to a stranger, but so you can benefit from my experiences - how NOT to baby-proof your hotel room. Here are five tips to use to make sure every vacation is a safe one:

1. Doors - even heavy ones - can be opened by small children. Always, always, always use the deadbolt lock to keep everyone safe - and inside.

2. Don't overlook hazards just because you're not at home. Electrical outlets, extension cords, blow dryers and sharp furniture corners are as dangerous in a hotel room as they are in your own home. As soon as you check in to your room, take a quick scout for dangerous areas, and bring a few outlet covers or other baby proofing materials with you, if your child is at the exploration age.

3. Another thing to carry with you is a small nightlight. Hotel rooms can be pitch black in the middle of the night, and it's scary for anyone to wake up in a strange place. A familiar glow from a Winnie the Pooh nightlight can make the difference between a screaming child and one who turns over and goes back to sleep.

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